Cane



June 23, 1953 a A. HENDERSON Er Ax.

CANE

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 20. 1949 INVENToRs G/en ,4. /ren def-sonM//fa'fm 'H- hir/w owne .Imc 23, `l,1953

G. A. HENDERsN Er AL v f INVENToR. Venn ,4. Han i l-/f//mm ff. M

2 Smets-Shut 2y ders on 'n or e mu ug'. 20.*#1949- x12/array PatentedJune 23,1953

CANE

Glenn A. Henderson and William H. Winborne, Los yAngeles, Calif.

Application august 2o, 194s, serial 10.111.355 'n (ci. 13s- 45) 1iclaims. l

This invention has` todo with a cane or walking stick and it is ageneral object of the invention to provide a cane. of improved,practical,

construction and which possesses characteristics making it convenient,practical and desirable forV USB.

Canes or walking sticksfare used'fo various purposes, as for` example,by persons who are crippled, who are convalescing, as dress accessories,etc. Canes are commonly constructed of wood and to havethedesiredstrength and rigidity the woods employed are usually heavy,"and` by their very nature `are notalways'dependable,

are subject to splitting, and they are subject ,to generaldeterioration. Further, in practice considerable difliculty isordinarily 'experienced securing a handle to or on a cane-body, andtheferrule at the lower end of 'the cane 'body comthat it can be set inengagement with' the body to dependably remain thereon or therein untildeliberately released..` L f i A further object ofv this invention is toprovide a cane wherein the handle isjsecured to a tubular metal body sothat it isjdependably rand permanently joined thereto. With theconstruction provided by the present invention the handle vis secured tothe vvbody against working loose,

shifting or becoming detached and' thus the cane Scan ybe relied'uponfor service'over a long period of time. v l

Another object ofr thisv invention is to'provide y a cane with atubular'metal'body with sound dea dening means serving to take the ringor resonance out of the body so that it is withoutfdis- 7 agreeable toneof metal.

monly gives considerable trouble byv working leose, or breaking off etc.-Further,;inpractice the usual cane, vfor instance; a cane of `\vood, tobe shortened requires aV complicatedy operation `The various objects andfeatures of our inventionwill be fully understood from the following`detailed descriptionof typical preferred forms and applications'of theinvention, throughoutA ywhich description reference isr made lto theacremoving the ierrule and retting or reapplying the ferrule to the bodyfollowingshortening of the body. In most cases the shortening .of a canerequiresV` thev installationof a new ferrule and the ferrule of the'cane is usually marred. These operations are rather .cumbersome and timeconsuming and arenot always satisfactory.

The present invention provides a caneconstruction involving an elongateVtubular body of metal. The handle isxed to the upper end of the body bybeing provided with an extension vor shank fitting into theknurlecfl'upper` end of the body and having fixed engagement therewith.The tip at the lower end ofthe body is preferably metal and isdetachably secured to thebody, preferably by meansy ofa screw, and inthe preferred construction a detachable cushionv of rubber, or the like,isV provided at the lower open end of the tip and when removed ailordsaccess to the screw by which the tip is secur'edto the body. Further,sound deadening means are provided and may involve a plug'of deadeningmaterial such as wood, or the like, located in the body intermediate itsends, or' lling or packing of granular material such as expandedvermiculite or both. u

A general object of this invention is to provide a practical, simple,easily operated lmeans for securing a tip to a cane body.-`In thepreferred form of the invention the body ofthe cane is tubular and thetip is a simple elongate part with a shank'e'ntering the end of thebody; the shank being expansibleV under theaction of a screw'so ybe usedbetween ythe body and handle.

yan enlarged detailedsection takenfas indicated vcompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. r1 is a view-of a cane 'embodying the-present invention withcertain parts broken .away to show the features of construction. Fig- 2is van enlarged` detailed view cfa portion of the structure shown inFig. 1 being a view taken as indicated by line `2-'2 on'Fig. `l.l Fig.3is la transverse sectional view taken as indicated by Vline 3--3 on Fig.2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed section -of a `part of the structureshown onFig. l, being` a view taken as indicated 'by line 4-4 on Fig. l.Fig. A5 is a transverse sectional view, being a view taken as`indicated. by line 5,.-5 on Fig.x4, and Fig. 6 isA a View illustratinga Acane vembodying the present` invention in yan initiall 'form andillustrating the manner in which it may be shortened. Fig. 7 'is a viewsimilar to the ,upper portion of-Fig. 6 showinga construction to Fig.` 8is Y by line 8--8 on Fig. 7.` Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showinga constructionthat can be used to connect the body and tip, Fig. 10 is aview similar Ato Fig. 9 showing a modification ofthe structure shown inFig.' 9.1 Fig. l1 is a transversesection taken'as indicated by line II-QII onfFig. l0, andFig. 12 is. a transverse section taken as indicatedby line |2-l2`on Fig. 10.

the l.body, a tip D preferably formed of metal,

rmounting:meansE.releasablyv` securing the tip to l be formed of a lightmetal or a light alloy, the" Weight of the tubing, its size and thematerial being balanced so that the tube is as light as possibleconsistant with the desired strength and rigidity and durability.

The handle B may, in practice, be of ,any de sired size, form or design,it being preferred that it be a unitary element shaped to provide aneffective comfortable grip. It will be understood, of course, that thehandle may be :formed of a material or may be provided with a fnish`such as to gain the desired appearance .or to be suitable -with thebodyA whichrnay, Of course, 4be surfaced or "nished inanyidesired mannerf y The mounting means C vprovided for securing vthe handle to theuppexend efthebodyn .rigidly .and permanently Vsccllresitlle fhandle yto thebody.

In accordance with the invention the means C. involves a shank -orprojection I0 on thehandle .engaged in theupper-end of Ybody A; A'1l-heshank I is preferably an integral extensioner fcon'- tinuation of thehandle and ln `the Icase illustrated it isround in .crosspecton and ofsuchsize -as 4to fit 'tightly in the body. `shown in, the

drawings theshank I0 fmay be reduced somewhat relative to lthe stemportion I.- I of the handle so Ythat a shoulder vI2 is formed 'lio abutthe end I3 .of 'the handle and so that the exterior of the stem portionII ofthe handle is -flus'h with the exterior of body A. In accordancewith the present in, vention knurling is provided on .the ,inner surfaceof the body wallat the :upper `endportion of the body. The knurling maybe formed or provided by applying a suitable tool O r implement to thematerial of vthe Ibody A to ,establish thedesired vprojections orknurlingithereon. 'The ,inner Sur- `face of the body wall `at the Aupper.end portion ,of Vthe body is roughened or knurled for a distance`sufficient to have krlurling engage the Shank I0 Athroughout itslength. In accordance with the invention the shank IIlprojectirlglfiromthelldndle meshes with the knurling ,on :the inner surface .of the `bodywall so that the shank is :anchored in the body against rotation thereinor removal therefrom. In practice the desired meshing of the shank I0with the 'knurling may b e `gained as the handle is applied vto vtheAbody by temporarily softening the material of the shank :I0 either by'heat or by a suitable softening agent or solvent.

`In practice it is desirable to form the handle B and the shank I0 whichProjects therefrom -as a unitary body of 4material ypopularly known asplastic, employing a so-.called plastic whichnis subject to beingsoftenedby a suitable solvent such as an acetate, or the'like. This-typeof plasrA tic is preferred in that itmay 'be obtained Yhaving thedesired strength,is generally pleasing in appearance, and is generallypractical for the for mation of the handle.

The tip `D is preferably a metal part that projects from the lower endof the body and, `in practice, it may vary widely in form, DIODOI-tioning or design. In the case illustrated 'the tip is cf substantiallength and is Ytapered 'down- 1It is-prefened that the cushion be a bodyor button of rubber or rubber-like material, and it may have a concaveor round ground engaging surface 20. The construction or means providedfor securing the button-like cushion to the tip D preferably involves alug or projection 2| which is anintegral par-t of the cushion, which lugfits snugly or tightly into a socket 22 entering the tip .-D fromitslower end. The upper end of the lug 2I seats on or against the bottom 23of the socket and the parts are preferably proportioned so that when thelug 2I is seated on the bottom 23 of Vthe socket and A.the parts areYpreferably propQrtQnedsotha-t when theglug V2I is seated on the .bottom23 of -the socket, face `25 `of the cushion 'is at or Vclose to the Aend,2,6 of the tip D but does not `necessarily bear ,thereon with pressuresuch as might result in cutting of the cushion where the lug joins thecushion..

The Ymounting means ,E releasably secures the tipwto the body and in thepreferred form of the invention it involves a shank 30 on the tip D'dit-ting into the llower end Vof the body and an .expander `3'I Vactingonor with the Ashank 30 to ,expand lit into Vgripping -engagement withthe -rbody A. The shank 30 is preferably an integral extension orcontinuation of the tip D and where vthe body A vis round tubing, ashereinabove described, the shank is round or turned and is of such sizeas to fitzsnugly into the lower end portion of the ltubing forming thebody and is preferably long enough to provide ample bearing in -the bodyso that the gtip is effectively supported Ain alignment with the body.The shank may have a slidingt inthe body I0 so that it can be `easilyarranged in or removed from the body.

The shank -30 of ,means E is expansibie so that :it `can be operatedinto gripping engagement with 4the body A. In the preferred form of theinvention 'the .shank 30 is split longitudinally and in the drawings litis vshown as having a single lcentralor diametrically disposed cut orslit at 33, which slit AVextends a substantial distance length- .wise orinto the shank '30 from its upper end. .The expander 3,I is preferably-a screw suitably engaged with lthe shank 30,

- In the form .of the invention illustrated the -unit `formed by .thetip D and the shank 30 of .means Eis provided with Ia centrallongitudinal opening 40 that extends from the lower 4end portion of thetip D to .the upper end kof the shank 30. The opening 40 kin the `caseillustrated extends from the bottom of socket 22 to the split upper endportion of the shank and the portion 4I of the .opening within the slitportion of the shank is reduced in diameter and is threaded. At thelower end of the reduced portion 4I there i a Acicwnwardly y.facingtapered or inclined shouler z The expanding member or screw 3I has athreaded body 44 that threads into the reduced opening 4I andithas aheadl5 which is-provided with a tapered rface .4.6 abutting the shoulder 42.-A screw driver slot MiI or the like, provided on the head ,44, :facesdownwardly or is accessible through :the opening .40 so the screw can beconveniently operated by a tool such as vascrew driver introducedthroughl the opening-'lu-'vwhenxthe rubber, or rubber-like, cushion isremoved fromv the tip. With the construction just described tighteningof the screw in the opening 4| causes the head of the screw to wedge inthe expansible portion of the shank spreading the shank into gripping orpressure engagement with vthe body A. In the preferred forrnof' theinvention the shank 30 is reduced in diameter at 55 for a 'suitabledistance intermediate its ends, forming a neck portion 5i which is thinwalled and therefore somewhat flexible, leaving the shank with a lowerbearing part 52 that engages in the body A and an upper bearing part 53that engages in the body A. Through this construction, which isillustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings,y the. split portion of the shankis readily expansible under the action of the screw, and whenthe screwis tightenedthe upper bearingV part 53 is effectively forced intopressure engagement with the body.

rEhe sound dampening or deadeningmeansG lemployed in the constructionacts toprevent the other parts of the cane,` and particularly fthe bodyA, from ringing or vibrating so that it has a metallic sound. The meansCalas shown in the drawings, may involve two mediums or elements in thebody A, for example it may involve a plug 6d of deadening materialinthebody intermediate its ends and a ller or packing oi granularmaterial 6|. In` the caseillustrateda filler or plug 6! of material suchas Wood is made tight in the body A intermediate the ends of the bodyand may 'alone Vbe employed as the sound deadening means. Thel packingor lling of granular material el' may beemployed with or without a plugSi! and in practice it may be any suitable soft or sound deadeningmaterial.l For example, expanded vermiculite may beemployed to advantageand may be iilled into the body A to completely occupy the. bodyrbetween the faecaeu terminates v'at an edge H 'which may be slightlyround to fit the fillet I0". This construction can y be advantageouslyemployed when the handle is formed of a plastic material, or the like,`that may rbe weak where the handlev y:Ioinstheshank- I0 if be knurled'as illustrated in the drawings.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings the mounting means E for securing the tip DtoV the bodyA yhas a plain straight shank vportion 30. the exterior ofwhich is finished to have slidable engagement in lthe body. vThisv formof constructionis suitable for use where the tip D and the shank are.'

formed of a so-called plastic, orvthe like, which :material is softerthan metal. Y In such case the expander or screw 3|' has its head inwedging or l expanding engagement with the tapered shoulder 42 andisthreadediinto a met-al insert or nut 80 seated in -a polygonal socket8| provided in the'v inner end of -shank 30. With this construction theexpander4 3| can be tightened into the nut 80 to cause the portion ofthe shank between the head of the expanderand the nut 80 to expand yandthusbe tight in the lbody A.

advantageously expand and gripthe body, in the manner justdescribed, theshank may be split .longitudinally asat 33in kthe manner illustrated Ain Figs. l0, 11 and l2`of the drawings.

shanksV iii and or to occupy thespaces `left between the Shanks and ,theplug-"69. When vermiculite or the like is employed it may be loose orwith a binder, in 'whichfcaseit vis de.- sirable that a stopper G5 ofcotton, paper, or like material is applied after the granular sounddeadening material has been insertedin thebody from its lower end.l Astopper tisuch as is shown in Fig. l will serve to retain the granularsound deadening material until the tip has been applied or while the tipis removed orbeing repaired or replaced.

With the construction provided by the present invention a personpossessing a cane, or a merchant togfit ay cane to la particularuser,may

readily take a long cane, such as is illustrated at X in Fig. 6, removethe tip D and then sever a portion iii oi the body, as shown at Y inFig. 6, and he may then reapply the tip D to the cane, as shown at `Z inFig. 6, to provide a shortened cane. f

The mounting means C shown in Figs. 7 and 8 connecting the handle B withthe body A differs from that above described to the extent that ytheshank E d' on the handle, instead of y being of uniform size or crosssection from one end tothe other leaving a shoulder I 2 normal to theaxis -01 the shank Where the shank'joins the handle, has a taperedportion Ida which extends between the straight round portion and whichfairs into the handle where the end of the body-joins the handle. Asmall or limited fillet-like curved part lilb may be provided where thepart 10e joins the handle and when this is the case the end portion ofthe body A which receives the shank is reamed In Icarrying out'theinvention as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the opening 40 provided throughthe tip may be a straight. uniform opening from the shoulder 42a totheouter end 26, ofthe tip. In such case the cushion F may be Iof thetype above described and may have a lug or projection 2l engaged in theopening 40. In the case illustrated, and in order to provide a restorsupport for the `cushion and also to reinforce the tip, `a plug whichmay be formed of wood, or the like, is arranged in opening 40' so itsend 23'k forms `a support v for cushion.y

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of ourinvention, we do not wish to be limited or restricted tothe--specific-de` tails herein set forth, but wish to reserve toourselves any variations or modifications that may the projection 2l ofthe appear to those skilled in the art and fall within vopening yandprojecting up from the top and eni gaged in the body, and a screwcarried in said openingiexpandingl kthe shank into gripping engagementwith the body, and accessible through the opening in the tip, and adetachable cushion at the lower end of the tip normally closing saidopening. 1 .f

,- 2. A cane including,` an elongate tubular body,

4a handle secured to the upper end .of` the body, a tip with a' hole`through it, means` releasably securing the tip to the lower end of thebody `including an elongate expansible shank with a o centrallongitudinal opening 'projecting 11p-trom the top and engaged inthebody,and a screw carried in said opening expanding the shank into grippingengagement with the body and accessible through the hole in the tip, anda detachable cushion at the lower end of the tip normallyclosing saidopening. the cushion having a rubber lug frictionally engaged in thehole in the tip.

3. A cane including, an elongate tubular body, a handle secured to theupper end of the body, a tip with a. passage through it, and meansreleasably securing the tip `to the lower end of the body including anelongate shank engageable in the body. the shank being splitlongitudinally trom its upper end and having a. central longitudinalopening through it from one end tothe other and connecting vwith thepassage in vthe tip, the opening having a reduced threaded portion wherethe shank is split.'.and a screw threaded in the reduced portion of saidopening and operable to expand the shank and accessiblel through thepassage in the tip. l

4. A cane including, .an elongate tubular body, a handle secured to theupper end of the body, a tip with a passage throughtit, and meansreleasably securing the tip to the lower end of the body including anelongate shank projecting up from the tip and engageable in the body,the shank being split longitudinally from its upper end and having acentral longitudinal openl ing through it from one end to the othercommunicating with said passage, vthe opening having a reduced threadedportion where the shank is split establishing a, downwardly facinginclined shoulder, and a screw threaded in the reduced portion of thesaid opening with a tapered head engaging said shoulder `to expand theshank, the screw having a head at its lower end accessible for operationAthrough the passage and the opening below the reduced portion. 1

5. A cane including, an elongate tubular body, a handle secured to theupper end of the body, a tip with a passage through it, and means re.-leasably securing the tip to the lower end of the body including anelongate shank projecting up from the tip and engageable in the body,the shank being split longitudinally from its upper end and having acentral longitudinal opening through it from one end to the other 'andcornmunicating `with the passage, the opening having a reduced threadedportion where the tip is split, and a screw threaded in the reducedportion of said opening and operable to expand the shank, the shankhaving a reduced portion where it is split forming a neck and ahead atthe upper end of the shank engageable with the body, the screw havingahead 'at its lower end accessible through the passage and the openingbelow the screw.

6. A cane including, an elongate tubular metal body, two elements onesecured to each end of the body and one detachable from the body, oneelement being a handle and the other a tip, and a sound deadener in thebody including a packving o! loose granular material in the body,substantially filling the body.

7. A cane including, an elongate tubular metal body, two elements onesecured tov each end of the body and one detachable from the body, oneelement being a handle and the other a ground engaging tip, and a sounddeadener in the body including a wooden plug tight in the bodyintermediate its ends and loose granular sound deadening material in thebody lwhere it is not occupied bythe plug.

f .A cane including, an elongate 'tubular metal body, two elements onesecured to each end of the body and one .detachable from the body, oneelement being a, handle and the other a tip. and a sound deadener in thebody including a packing of expanded vermiculite in the body.

9. A cane including, an elongate tubular metal body, two elements onesecured to each end of the body and one detachable from the body, oneelement being a handle and the other a ground engaging tip, and a. sounddeadener in the body including a wooden plug tight in the body andexpanded vermiculite in the body intermediate its ends and in sounddeadening engagement with it.

10. A cane including, an elongate tubular body, a handle secured to theupper end of the body, a tip vwith a passage through it, and meansreleasably securing the tip to the lower end of the body including anelongate shank projecting up from the -tip and engageable in the body,the shank being split longitudinally from its upper end and having acentral elongate opening threaded Where the shank is split, and a screwthreaded in the opening and operating to expand the shank, the shankhaving a reduced portion where it is split forming a. neck and a head atthe upper end of the shank engageable with the body, the screw having ahead at its lower end accessible through the passage and the openingbelow the screw.

11.. A cane including, an elongate tubular body, a handle secured to thevupper end of the body, a tip with a hole through it, means releasablysecuring the tip to the lower end of the body including an elongateshank projecting up from the tip and engageable in the body, the shankbeing split longitudinally from its upper end and having a central`longitudinal opening through it from one end to the other andcommunicating with the hole, the opening having a reduced threadedportion where the shank is split, and a screw threaded in the reducedportion of said opening and having 4a head at its lower end operable toexpand the shank, the shank having a reduced portion where it is splitforming a neck and a head at the upper end of the shank engageable withthe body, and a detachable cushion at the lower end of the tip normallyclosing said opening and having a part frictionally held in the hole inthe tip.

GLENN A. HENDERSON. 'WILLIAM H. WINB ORNE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number.Name Date 253,011 Crowley Jan. 81, 1882 v280,485 Knapp July 3, 1883435,215 Evans Aug. 26, 1890 876,734 Scott et al Jan. 14, 1908 1,077,836Keresztfalvg Nov. 4, 1913 1,552,890 Soss Sept. 8, 1925 1,809,746Decabert June 9, 1931 1,843,261 Bales Feb. 2, 1932 1,927,271 Noelting etal. e- Sept. 19, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS `Number Country Date 9,524 NorwayMay 28, 1901

